Test Drive

Sersious could hardly contain his excitement as he stared at the completed cart, now known as Midgard. His eyes sparkled like a child seeing magic for the first time.

"Wow," he breathed, running a hand along the smooth wooden frame. "This beauty can move on its own! How about we take it for a test run?"

But Rei didn't share the same enthusiasm—at least, not yet.

"It's not ready," Rei replied with a thoughtful frown, crossing his arms. "It moves, yeah, but it still can't change direction properly."

Sersious blinked. "Huh. Really?"

Rei nodded. "The engine part is finished, and that's great. But now we need to make it steerable. Not to mention the tyres, glass, and the room inside—it's still far from complete."

Sersious chuckled, undeterred. "Now, now, you're being too humble. But all right, what's next then?"

Rei pointed at the front of the cart. "We need to add a steering mechanism. Something simple. I've got an idea for it."

Sersious clapped his hands together. "Well then, what are we waiting for?"

Unlike the engine and internal systems that had taken weeks of trial and error, the steering system was relatively simple. Working together with practiced rhythm, Rei and Sersious got to work again.

They began by constructing a small wooden box and fixed a single cartwheel inside it, anchoring it onto a short vertical shaft. From that point, Rei attached a stick to the shaft, then fastened another stick perpendicular to it, forming a kind of rudimentary U-joint. He repeated this once more, adding a final perpendicular stick with a handle at the end. It was a crude mechanism—but it worked.

They affixed the box to Midgard's front frame, bolting it down tightly. The final handle stuck out to the left of the driver's seat. With that done, Rei moved on to adding the finishing touches.

The two of them measured the cart's frame carefully and installed proper rubber-lined wooden tyres on each wheel. Then, using spare lumber, they divided the interior space into two sections. One half became a small but cozy room. Inside it, they built miniature furniture from leftover scraps: a bed just long enough for one person, a compact shelf, and a simple closet tucked into the corner. It was no noble's chamber, but it would do.

In the driver's area, they placed two wooden chairs—one for the driver and one for any passengers. They nailed them down to prevent sliding, smoothing the edges and adding small cushions for comfort. After that, Rei took three spare wheels and fastened them to the cart's sides using metal hooks, just in case of emergencies.

Finally, the windows. Using measurements they'd taken earlier, Rei purchased glass panes from a glasssmith in town. He and Sersious installed the glass into the window frames and the front windscreen, sealing the edges with a resin paste to prevent rattling.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue over Nevar's rooftops, Rei stepped back and gazed at their creation. The warm light reflected off Midgard's windows, and the polished wood gleamed like the shell of a beetle.

Rei crossed his arms, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Now we can take it for a test run."

Sersious grinned from ear to ear. "Sure then! Let's go!"

They covered Midgard with a thin tarp to avoid attracting too much attention and began pushing it toward the city gate. Despite their efforts to keep it low-key, Midgard was hard to ignore. A few townsfolk paused and gawked, curiosity evident on their faces.

A passing man called out, "Hey, Sersious! What is that thing?"

Sersious gave a lopsided grin and waved him off. "Just a cart. Nothing special."

He lowered his voice as they moved past. "This city's crawling with hidden powers, kid. If they catch wind of something like a self-moving cart, who knows what they'll do."

Rei nodded solemnly. They were both aware of the danger.

Once they reached the outskirts and the city wall was far behind them, the tension in the air melted away. The road ahead stretched into a flat plain, perfect for a test. Rei opened Midgard's door, and they both climbed in.

Sersious took the passenger seat, whistling as he looked around the inside. "Feels like we're in a moving house. Still can't believe we built this."

Rei sat down behind the wheel, placed both hands on the handle, and activated his wind spell. A soft gust whispered through the gears, setting the mechanism in motion. The cart jolted forward and then smoothly accelerated as Rei gently turned the handle left and right. Midgard responded with surprising accuracy.

It was working. It was really working.

As the cart glided over the road, bumps and all, Rei couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. In a world filled with magic, monsters, and mystery, he had created something that was entirely his own. A mobile home, a vehicle of freedom—something that gave him control in a world that often took it away.

After several minutes of cruising, Sersious turned to him and said, "Let me try it too."

Rei nodded and stood up from the driver's seat. "Go ahead."

They swapped places, and Rei activated the wind spell again. Sersious took the handle in his strong hands and began maneuvering Midgard. The cart obeyed his movements with ease, adjusting its course as he twisted the steering mechanism. His grin grew with every passing second.

"This is amazing," he said. "So smooth… so responsive."

They rode on, the wind whipping through the tiny cracks in the window panes, the cart's wooden body creaking faintly with every turn. It was far from perfect—but it was alive.

Eventually, Sersious slowed the cart to a stop and let out a satisfied sigh. "This... this might just change the world someday."

Rei looked out the front window, the road stretching far ahead into the unknown. He didn't know what lay beyond the horizon, but with Midgard at his side, he felt ready for it.